By Randy Appleton, Virginia Truck Accident Attorney

A truck driver in Emerson, Georgia has been charged with DUI and vehicular homicide stemming from his truck rolling onto a highway and killing a local missionary.

The driver was conducting a safety inspection on his tractor trailer in the driveway of a company, and forgot to set the parking brake. The truck rolled into the lanes of Highway 41 in Emerson, slamming into a Toyota Tundra carrying a husband, wife and two children. The mother died on impact, and the husband and two children had minor injuries.

The husband and wife were missionaries for a Southern Baptist organization and most recently had been on a mission trip to Italy.

Georgia State Police conducted a field sobriety test on the truck driver and found that he was under the influence of drugs. He was charged with DUI and First Degree Vehicular Homicide, as well as Failure to Exercise Due Care.

Our Virginia truck accident attorneys have seen all too many lives changed or ended by drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Every year, 17,000 people die in drug or alcohol related crashes in the US. All drivers should be certain that they are not under the influence when they get behind the wheel.

Naturally, this applies even more so to truck drivers. Big rigs are large, heavy and more dangerous than cars. People who have a commercial driving license have a higher duty to protect the public above all else. The fact that the truck driver was not driving at the time of this accident is irrelevant: The fact that he was under the influence of drugs affected his memory and decision making. He probably never would have forgotten to set the parking brake if he had been sober.